La pie by Claude Monet

The monthly challenge on Art Bead Scene is about this lovely painting! I’m so excited – not only do I love impressionist paintings, but there’s also going to be some prizes by Heather Powers, Sue Beads and Mary Ann Carroll – and I’m sure I’m going to love whatever these talented ladies create! Can’t wait for tomorrow to see…
I also love the colour palette – most of the recent challenges were way too colourful for my taste.

Still – I’m not sure if I like what I came up with today. Too much contrast compared to the painting, or what do you think? The idea was for the mother-of-pearl frame to represent the gate. The bluish-black bead (more black in reality, without the flash) is the magpie perched upon it. Then beneath that there’s white turquoise for the snow, with a “shadow” of grey papillon seed beads. Then there’s a dark wall with a snow cover, trees rising above it (polymer clay bead made by me – does it look like snow-covered trees to you?), and then the grey papillon seed bead sky. And above the gate, more “trees” (no, the house doesn’t show up in my “bead painting”).

Criticism would be more than welcome on this one! My boyfriend said something like “there’s too much going on for one piece”, so I’m thinking about making it two necklaces – one with white turquoise, grey papillon seed beads, the frame and the magpie as the only “black” spot (probably more centered). And the other with the polymer clay connector and black icicle beads. Only problem is that one of them would be missing an art bead 😉 And so is the bracelet I just made… oh well.

Oh, and happy new year to everyone! It felt really strange to sign a photo with ’10 for the first time!!